An influential panel of U.S. experts recommended for the first time on Tuesday that primary care doctors screen all children ages 8 to 18 for anxiety, even if there are no symptoms.
The recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a group of disease prevention and medical experts assembled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), come at a time of rising rates of diagnosed mental health disorders among American young people.
"Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in children and youth," said task force member Dr. Martha Kubik, a professor at George Mason University's nursing school.